Always a Gentleman
by Freakygreeneyes
Summary: BS. Only way to be. Set in Season 5, Riley is gone (Thank god! Or me) Joyce is dead, Glory is being all hellgoddessey. My first fanfic, please review!
1. Graveyard conversations and bad dreams

Chapter 1  
  
Authors Notes: Please please please review, this is my first ever fanfic. I won't make a second chapter unless I get reviews. SO PLEASE!!! Sorry if it seems really depressing right now, I promise it'll pick up.  
  
*~* But well you can't refuse  
  
and you just can't choose  
  
what she's gonna do  
  
I said you can't refuse  
  
and you just can't choose  
  
what she's gonna do Well scratch scratch  
  
She's clawing at the door  
  
Oh no I can't stick anymore  
  
Crack crack  
  
I feel so sore  
  
I never should have asked for  
  
Black leather black leather  
  
Black leather black leather *~* Spike stumbled drunkenly on his way home from Willy's. Finding himself laying facedown with his feet in the air, he mumbled into the dirt "Sodding tombstone, bloody fuckin' Slayer..." He spat out a blade of grass as he slowly, laboriously pulled himself to his knees.  
  
Glaring at the offensive tombstone, his face suddenly went from furrowed with anger to ridden with guilt. "Sorry Joyce, sorry mum, so sorry..." He brushed off the tombstone that spelled out the name 'Joyce Summers' in cold, impersonal letters. Kneeling in front of the tombstone, Spike said, "I know you hate that language Joyce. I promise on my...my... oh hell-I mean, ah bloody hell. I'll try to swear less. Yeh, that'll do. Ain't got nothin' to promise on, that's for sure, no honor, no bible, probly burn anyway, no soul..." Leaning on the tombstone for support, and fully intending to leave, he found himself just looking down upon the cold stone. "That's what she wants, a soul..."  
  
"She's in me now mum. Running through my veins, bloody shrieking with glee 'bout the havoc she is wreckin' on me, on my soddin' sanity. Heh, still a poet." Spike chuckled. "Anyway she's got it so hard now, with that Glory bitch on her tail, and you gone. Sorry bout that by the way, you being gone and all." He slowly, again with the aid of the tombstone sat again, cross-legged this time in a more comfortable position.  
  
He sighed, and then realized what he was doing. The sky and the night were shocked when he burst into full laughter, since they were the only ones bearing witness. Still giggling, he continued. "Sorry bout that, just bloody funny I'm talking to a fucking tombstone. You Summers women are that way, yeh know? Suppose you do..." Spike swiveled around and leaned against the tombstone, his black-clad legs spread in front of him. "Bit too. You raised 'em right Joyce, no matter what you think. And you did raise Dawn, 'm sure of it, even if she is a bloody key or whatever the hell she is. She's still a girl, your girl. You did a bloody good job, enough for a evil, bloodsuckin', soulless, big bad, good-for-nothin'..."  
  
Spike's rambling slowly drifted off, as he stared unfocused into the night. "A good-for-nothin' me to love 'em anyway." Suddenly sober, as it the alcohol had fled from his veins in the presence of such a lady, dead or no. "Night Joyce." Spike said, before he slouched off into the night. )()()()()( A couple of yards away, a little blue-eyes key crouched behind a tombstone, her mouth covered by her pale hand, tears streaming down her cheeks. Apparently the ability to eavesdrop quite well ran in the family.  
  
Sniffling, assured that the vampire was gone, she stood and brushed off her jeans. Slowly, she turned and walked in the opposite direction, her hands shoved sullenly in her pockets. Buffy would be wondering where she was. No, not where SHE was, Buffy would wonder where the Key was. She walked down the concrete street, the streetlights leaving pools of dirty yellow, staining the pure black ground. She turned onto Revello drive, and saw that the tiny house in which seemed so empty now had no lights on. So maybe Buffy hadn't missed her. Dawn slowly opened the door, wincing slightly when it creaked. Carefully, she closed and locked it, not like that would do anything against a hell god. Jesus, she thought to herself, normal girls didn't live in constant fear. Quickly, she sprang up the steps. About to disappear into the darkness and sometimes suffocating sanctities of her room, she stopped when she heard a small whimper come from the other room. Her brow furrowing in confusing, she walked to Buffy's room and slowly opened the door.  
  
Buffy lay there, thrashing and writhing, her sheets tangled about her legs. Tears stained her pillow and ran down her cheeks in streams of glitter. Dawn hesitated, reading somewhere that you don't interrupt nightmares. Or maybe you do...shit, how could I forget, Dawn berated herself. She didn't move, but listened when she heard Buffy begin to speak.  
  
"No...no-please, just not...no!" Buffy cried, whimpering and curling into a ball before jerking again. "Mommy..." Dawn's breath caught in her chest when she barely heard the uttered whisper. "No please, don't hurt her...Mommy! Oh god, Dawnie..." Dawn's breath completely stopped then, but she didn't notice as she watching in fascinated horror. "Dawnie, oh god stop don't hurt her...Dawnie I'll rescue you...no, Willow! Xander, oh god your eyes...the blood!" Dawn was now crying to, silent sobs shaking her small body. "Giles...Daddy no they can't...she can't!!! Spike! No, not him, anything..." Dawn just stood there, shocking, and ran in just as Buffy screamed.  
  
)()()()()(  
  
Buffy was so lost. Everywhere was bleeding, and hurting and...Dawn! Buffy suddenly was awakened, by a soothing green light stroking her sore head. "Its okay Buffy, shhhhh, its all a dream..." Buffy looked into her sister's eyes, and wondered when they became green. Finally, she was completely awake, and breathing slow, and she remembered.  
  
"Oh God Dawnie, Glory had Mom and Xander and Giles, and Xander had no eyes, and her scabby bitches, they-they raped you and-and Willow and oh God she took her whole hand and stuck it in his chest..." Buffy babbled frantically, her eyes shooting all around the room, all her Slayer adrenaline pumping through her body.  
  
"Its okay Buffy, its okay you're here, we're safe..." Dawn said again, slowing and Buffy's heartbeat slowed again. "Who did Glory stick her hand into Buffy?" Dawn finally asked, her mind still racing from the hell that Buffy described. If it was this wretched for her, just thinking about those horrible things, then how must it have been for Buffy, who had been there mind and soul?  
  
"It-it was Spike..." Buffy finally whispered, confusion and sobs shaking her body. She couldn't handle any more of these dreams, her body was a Slayers but her mind was just a girls. Finally, she fell asleep with her head in Dawns lap, leaving her kind-of sister to think. 


	2. Advil and pancakes

Chapter 2  
  
Authors Notes: Hey, so far so good! The paragraphs might be a little messed up since I am a newbie, so have pity on me! OH OH OH and reviews! I got reviews!!! I've never gotten reviews!!! Thank you so much to jojoS1 and EmmyJ85 for reviewing. I've never gotten reviews!!! ::claps hands with glee. Seeing people staring at her, she stops, rather shamefully. She then stops referring to herself in the third person.:: Sorry, I'm just excited...ok. You can read on now.  
  
)()()()(  
  
Buffy awoke with the seemingly worst headache she had ever had. She immediately noted the absence of her sister. "Dawn?" She croaked groggily, and then winced at the sound of her own voice. "Screw Dawn. Advil." She decided, before throwing on a pink fuzzy robe over her pajamas. 'Ugh,' She thought wearily 'Feels like someone stuck a spike through my head...Spike...mmm...' Not liking where this strange little thought was going, she shook her head. This didn't help her current state, and Buffy groaned. She barely stumbled down the stairs, Slayer powers keeping her from simply rolling down them. Still blinking wearily, she went into the kitchen.  
  
"Morning sister dear!" Buffy blinked at the bright sunshine that filled the kitchen, and winced at her sister's voice, which seemed even brighter. When she could see again, she was pleased to find a gigantic stack of pancakes overflowing with syrup and butter in front of her.  
  
"God loves the creator of pancakes." Buffy smiled, taking the plate. She stopped suddenly. "Would the creator of these particular pancakes be you?"  
  
"Nope." Dawn grinned at the relieved look on her sister's face. "Willow made them bright and early when I told her about your dream." Buffy froze at the mention of her dream, and Dawn realized her mistake. She quickly continued "But anyway, the creator of the pancakes indeed is not Dawn."  
  
Buffy, shaking off the remnants of the dream, moaned in relief, all but sinking her hands into the pancakes before Dawn quickly handed her a fork and knife. Fumbling a bit, she quickly stuffed a huge bite into her mouth, grunting her appreciation. Dawn grinned, catching her drift.  
  
"Your welcome." She said dryly before leading Buffy to a seat at the table, which shone in the morning light. Already Buffy found a glass of orange juice and milk sitting in front of her, leaving her nothing to think about except eating. She was also thrilled to find two white pills sitting next to her milk.  
  
"Dawn, I swear to God that you are a goddess." Buffy quickly downed the pills before a thought dawned on her. "Hey, do you have school today?" She felt a shock of panic go through her. She was Dawn's guardian now, and if she didn't make sure Dawn got a proper education and went to school, then Dawn would have to go away. To a foster home, with strange people and...with Mom gone Buffy didn't think she could handle that. Already she had yet to find a decent paying job that would support her and Dawn. Oh God, college! Buffy mind quickly began running it little circles, screaming at the top of its lungs, which isn't a good thing.  
  
"Calm down Buffy!" Dawn said, seeing the panic in her sister's eyes. "You are REALLY out of it! Its Saturday for God's sake!" Dawn chuckled when she could visibly see her sister's mind slowly wind down, and sit quietly again.  
  
Buffy sat bolt upright when a flaming blanket burst through her back door. Immediately on her feet, Dawn behind her, and a kitchen knife in hand within seconds, Buffy could only think 'I have been doing this FAR too long...' She breathed a sigh of relief, and then quickly went on guard again when the blanket was dropped to reveal a peroxide head and an old leather jacket. 'Gotta love that leather...' Buffy thought, but her mind was interrupted by Spike speaking.  
  
"Nice outfit Slayer." Spike drawled, causing Buffy to immediately look down and her outfit and pull her robe closed. Tightly closed. 'Last time I sleep in boxers and a cami again...' Buffy thought to herself, before putting on the role of righteous Slayer like a jacket. Because righteous Slayers don't have bad thoughts about vampires...  
  
"What do you want Spike?" Buffy asked, interrupting that really annoying like voice. She crossed her arms over her chest, her hip jutting out to one side.  
  
'And what nice hips she has...' Spike thought before pulling himself back to the present. "Contrary to what you may think love, I'm here with good reason. I had a dream last night, and not a happy one." His face darkened just remembering. All the Scoobies, all of them maimed and dead. And Dawn and Buffy...oh god...He doubted God was listening right now though. Despite what the Scoobies were led to believe, he had grown quite attached to him. Red and Glinda were decent to him, which was especially surprising from Red since he had tried to kill her a little over a year ago. The Demon girl was decent, and though Spike didn't have the warm fuzzies for Xander, you had to respect a regular human who had the guts to stay in this town knowing what was here.  
  
"What dream did you have Spike, and how is this different from any other dream? Probably doesn't mean anything, chip might have caused it as well as neutering you." Spike winced and Buffy felt a little pang of guilt, which she quickly erased. She was a little pissed at him for barging in here. Or maybe a little pissed at herself for not looking better when he did.  
  
"Important dream Slayer, I know prophetic ones from normal ones. The prophetic ones really don't usually include nudity and chocolate..." Spike leering at Buffy, and felt quite victorious when a blush graced her cheeks.  
  
"Hey hey hey, minor in the room! Lets keep it PG-13 okay?" Dawn cried, covering her ears. Of course she had heard worse at school, but if Buffy knew that knowing how protective her sister was she would probably find herself home schooled. Which definitely wouldn't do wonders for her education.  
  
"Sorry niblet, ohhh do I smell pancakes?" Spike lifted his head a little and sniffed, making him look like an interested, peroxide blonde dog. He quickly stopped when he heard Buffy's amused snort, and just gave her a dark look. He quickly sidestepped her into the kitchen and helped himself to some pancakes.  
  
"Fine Spike, come in, tell us about your dream, help yourself to some pancakes while you ruin my morning." Buffy mutter irritably, still facing where Spike had been standing. She sighed, and turned around to follow Spike who was sitting on the counter, smiling gratefully while Dawn heated up some blood as he devoured the pancakes.  
  
"Spike, get off the counter, Dawn, why do we all of a sudden carry blood?" Buffy asked, and Dawn shrugged sheepishly, her big eyes full of innocence. Buffy shook her head. "Never mind. Spike, tell us the dream."  
  
"Dunno if I should love, considering the Nibblets request to keep it PG- 13." Buffy glared at Spike, and he quickly clarified. "The dream wasn't like that love, its just...unpleasant is probably an understatement... well, bad things happened."  
  
"He's right. I didn't even tell you completely about my dream last night Dawn, and what I told you was bad. Leave for a little, and I'll tell you an edited version later." Buffy said. Dawn glared at her, but seeing that Buffy was still shaken and not up to a sibling fight, she left without any more complaint. Buffy sighed, again for like the third time that morning and turned to Spike. "So, what happened?" Buffy asked, surprised when Spike didn't meet her eyes. Usually it was her who broke eye contact, the strength and surprising purity of his sharp blue eyes usually proving too much for her. It was then she noticed how ragged he look. He cheekbones seemed more sunken and less sharp, and there were circles under his eyes. Finally, he looked up.  
  
"Well, what I said before was true...my dream was definitely not all puppy dogs and flowers. Well, there were dead flowers but..." Spike sighed and began.  
  
Authors Note: Sorry if it seems like I'm neglecting the rest of the Scoobies a little right now, but I promise they will get some action next chapter. Again more reviews! I find I rather like them, they're like written chocolate chip cookies. ( 


	3. Blood and warmth

Authors Notes: Yay more reviews! This is so cool! Man I sound really incredibly too excited, but my language arts teacher doesn't give reviews at all as well as you guys. I need more. Reviews are a drug, I am hooked, now give me my fix!  
  
)()()()(  
  
Anya smiled brightly at the two young teenagers that entered her store. Well, Giles's store if you wanted to become all technical about it, but Anya frankly didn't. The teens giggled and poked one another, looking at the variously, strangely shaped and sometimes slimy items that filled the store in jars. Anya's face took on a determined quality, as she slipped out from behind the counter, and walked up behind the teens.  
  
"If you aren't going to buy those kobold's testicles, then please do not touch them." Anya stated bluntly, and the girl who had been touching the merchandise quickly pulled her hand back as if she had been burned. Which she might have, who knows with kobolds testicles. "And please, if you aren't going to buy anything, please leave my store." Shooting Anya dirty looks, the girls quickly left while Xander sat exasperated at the table and Anya looked at the girls, satisfied with the effect of her scolding.  
  
"Ahn, you need to let people browse! They will not give you their money right away, and especially not for kobolds testicles!" Xander tried to say calmly, because he did love Anya, but there were times...  
  
"Oh I know that! And why not for kobolds testicles? They are quite useful in spells to incapacitate an ex lover," Xander flinched at this. I'm so screwed, he thought miserably. "Or," Anya continued, "they can be used to bind a lover to you. So you see, kobold's testicles hold quite some weight in the market!" Anya concluded.  
  
"I dearly hope you do not mean that literally, and I don't need to know the answer." Giles said as he walked in, quickly cutting Anya off before she told him just whether or not kobolds testicles held weight. "Nor do I need to know just how you got on this topic. I just need to know if you have made any leeway on the Glory research." Giles took off his glasses and polished them, as was his way.  
  
"'Fraid we've had no luck G-Man." Giles winced visibly at the nickname, and Xander grinned. Looking back to the old, dusty text he continued. "Anyway, just same old same old. Hell goddess, yada yada yada, invincible, yada yada yada, wants Key, yada yada yada, right behind you..." Xander trailed off.  
  
"Right we've heard all that. This is damnably frustrating, it seems like the same thing is in each text. Wait, what did you say?" Giles paled as Xander's words registered. Xander pointed mutely behind Giles, and the ex-librarian slowly turned, his face unreadable. A blonde, seemingly human woman looked back at him, a smirk to rival Spike's on her face.  
  
"Hey sweetie. Aren't you cute with the whole bumbling tweed librarian look going on! Well, I could go without the tweet, but I bet you were a looker in your day!" Glory said, sugar sweet but her voice had a clearly detectable edge to it. No matter how tall she was, Giles noticed, she still seemed to look down at you. Probably the heels.  
  
"Now," Glory continued, looked interestedly at her well-manicured nails. "I need to know who is the Key. And I'm tired of going through all of you one by one. I need to know now. I'm more known for my beauty and not my patience. And I'm really getting tired of this world." While Glory rambled on, Xander slowly stood. He started edging towards an inscribed katana, a red tassel hanging from its hilt. Wasn't his weapon of choice, but it would have to do. He slowly reached his hand out towards it.  
  
"Now boy, I don't think your paying attention." Quicker than the eye could follow, Glory snatched a dagger from the Magic Box's counter, and flung it towards Xander's outstretched hand. He screamed in agony as was pierced through and pinned to a bookshelf. "Now maybe you'll listen." Glory said smugly, perching herself onto the glass counter, her legs swinging like a little girl's, crossed primly.  
  
"Xander!!!" Anya screamed, worry and adrenaline flowing through her bloodstream in a rush. She ran and slid to her knees at Xander's side, his face contorted with pain. Gently, but firmly, she grasped the bloody handle of the dagger, and quickly with a sharp tug, pulled it out. Xander screamed again, and tears fell down Anya's face. He crouched there, cradling his wounded hand in his lap, breathing in large, choking breaths. She cooed in sympathy, and looked at Glory, her dark eyes full of rage. Glory simply sat there giggling.  
  
"Can we continue now? I love drama, but this is a little lame." Glory teased, her bright red lips curved into a wicked smile. Anya saw red.  
  
"You bitch!" She screeched, and ran at Glory with the dagger that was dripping Xander's blood in her hand, raised to strike. Glory simply rolled her eyes, and smashed Anya to the side and through a glass display case. She lay there, red trickling through her blonde curls and mingling with Xander's own.  
  
"Maybe you, tweed-boy will listen to reason." Giles shivered as the hell god's attention turned itself to him. He glanced worriedly between Xander and Anya, knowing full well they needed medical attention, and fast. Glory slid off counter, and prowled her way through the glass towards Giles.  
  
)()()()(  
  
Buffy shivered in the dank and dark sewers, barely able to see more than ten feet in front of her. She could hear her sisters light footsteps behind her, muffled in her baby blue sneakers, and the comforting clunk of motorcycle boots in front of her.  
  
"Cold love?" Spikes voice emerged from the darkness, startling Buffy a little, either by its sudden appearance or the concern it held. Buffy mutely shook her head no, still in mild shock from the morning's earlier events. After careful, almost microscopic inspection of Buffy and Spike's dreams, they were found to be almost identical. They started out to the Magic Box, through the sewers because of the fact that it was nearly noon now, and Spike needed to relay his dream to Giles also.  
  
"You niblet?" Spike asked Dawn, and in contrast to her sister she nodded vigorously. To Buffy's surprise, and Dawn's, Spike quickly shrugged out of his beloved jacket and wrapped it about Dawn's thin shoulders. She smiled in appreciation, and there was silence again as they trodden onward.  
  
He just keeps on surprising us... Buffy thought as she watched her sister's shivers slowly cease.  
  
)()()()(  
  
Dawn snuggled deeper into to heavy leather coat that now lay about her shoulders. It smelled of whisky and smoke, but something deeper as well. A heady, earthy scent that went on forever and surrounded Dawn in a protective shroud. No wonder Spike wears this as armor Dawn thought as she looked at the black leather coat in a new light.  
  
Finally, they reached the Magic Box's sewer access. Spike quickly pushed away the heavy cover that led to the basement of the Magic Box, and slid through. Buffy helped Dawn through next, and she giggled as Spike lifted her under her arms, and twirled her before setting her down. Still giggling, she suddenly realized this didn't help her sullen teenage image, and she settled into a pout. Spike simply grinned, and soon Dawn did too.  
  
Spike nearly shouted for joy inside. That was the first time one of his girls had smiled since the eerie comparing of dreams, and he had been the one to do it. He turned to offer Buffy a hand through as well, but only to find her already recovering the hole, he simply shrugged and started up the stairs. He stopped just before opening the door.  
  
"What is it..." Dawn started, before trailing off as Spike gestured her to hush. Quietly, he walked quickly down the stairs to his girls.  
  
"You'll all want to be quiet now. I hear a certain hell god's voice, and I smell blood." 


	4. Prophecies and trades

Chapter 4  
  
Author's Notes: Sorry sorry sorry I haven't updated in so long. Spring break, all that kinds of stuff. So I will write even more! And hopefully you will review!!!  
  
)()()()(  
  
Dawn's eyes grew wide with terror, as the hell god's voice floated down to her through the basement door.  
  
"Shit shit shit..." Buffy whispered frantically. Spike almost smiled at her new use of the more colorful words in the English language, but the smile was quickly wiped from his face when he started to make out the Glory's words.  
  
)()()()(  
  
"Now I know you know something Watcher..." Glory crooned, leaning in close to Giles, grabbing his face when he turned away from hers. "Hey! Insulting! You should be willing to die to gaze upon the glory that is...well...Glory!" The blonde god chuckled at her own impromptu pun. Giles winced at the very sound.  
  
"I'm sorry..."Giles started.  
  
"Now that's better! Apologize and bow, your getting the idea. For such a 'smart guy'" Glory made little air quotes, "It took you a while to get that."  
  
"I'm sorry," Giles started again. "But I never knew a gods breath could reek like that." Glory turned upon Giles in full fury, before backhanding him into the counter, wood and glass cracking and smashing. Her head whipped around though when she heard another noise.  
  
Buffy stood in the shambles that had once been the basement door. "Get away from him." Buffy said through clenched teeth.  
  
"Always was one for an entrance." Spike chuckled as he slid behind Buffy to stand behind her. Both stood imperiously in front of the doorway behind them, and Glory thought she could hear the tiniest sniffle...Before she could even finish the thought, Buffy ran towards her almost as if she could tell when Glory's mind was going, and threw herself into a flying sidekick. But the god merely knocked her away, sending her flying into a bookcase.  
  
"Buffy!" Dawn cried as she came up from the basement, but Spike quickly pushed her behind him.  
  
"Dawn! Told you to stay down there. I'll take care of this bitch..." Spike roared, and ran towards Glory, coat sweeping behind him magnificently. Expecting another kick like Buffy's, the god was nearly winded when Spike slipped down to sweep her off her feet with his leg. Up in a flash, the god was trading blows with Spike almost faster than the eye could see, and soon a well place punch sent him staggering as Buffy came in, like a tag- team that neither knew about. She soon was smashed back by a front kick, but it unknowingly sent her closer to Dawn. Realizing this, she took advantage. Before Buffy knew what happened, the god was standing behind Dawn, her blood red nails wrapped around the teen's delicate throat.  
  
"Dawn!" Buffy cried out in terror and worry for her sister, she stepped forward, but was stopped by Spike's hand as he got groggily to his feet. She looked daggers at him until he spoke.  
  
"No Buffy." Spike said, almost calmly except for the worry that engulfed his light-blue eyes, and the anger that made them dark as black pools. "I think we know how this one goes." He spoke up to address the hell-god that held the whimpering girl with the long shining hair that had somehow captured his once-beating heat. It almost seemed to beat again, with adrenaline terror for Dawn in his chest.  
  
"Right in one vampy. Now, you give me everything you got on the prophecy, and little teenybopper here goes...well, fairly unscathed. Therapy bills are gonna be a bitch though." Glory smiled brightly, trailing a nail down Dawn's soft cheekbone, biting into the soft skin. She was surprised by the stony silence that suddenly met her, as Dawn just glared. She refused to give this monster any more satisfaction.  
  
"You mean a bitch like you?" Buffy sneered. Glory frowned at Buffy and dug her nails deeper into Dawn's throat. Still the girl made no sound, but the sight of the velvet red blood in contrast to Dawn's pale skin hit Buffy hard. The smell hit Spike harder.  
  
"What fucking prophecy?" He growled, almost vamping out. The smell didn't hit him like it normally would have though. It didn't bring out the demons hunger, the lust for true life it would never have. It brought out the rage, and at the same time made him sick, the way Buffy's blood would. This blood didn't mean food, it mean death. Death of one of his girls. That was intolerable.  
  
"Don't play coy and all 'what are you talking about, we know nothing!' with me. How could you not know?" Glory spat, but realization dawned in her eyes as she looks at the confusion in theirs. "You really don't know?"  
  
Buffy shook her head mutely, and Glory laughed again, a sound like knives. "Well, I really gave you too much credit if you don't know. Or maybe your Watcher does knows." Glory said, looking at Giles. Buffy followed her gaze and gasped. So much blood... "You know," Glory, continued, "I read somewhere, I forget where though, that if they haven't woken up by now, they might never!" Buffy looked around and saw Anya, and Xander lying there almost as if sleeping. Her thoughts were stopped by Spike's rough voice.  
  
"Take me."  
  
"Are you really that important..." Glory started, but was interrupted by Dawn's voice, which had been silent for so long.  
  
"No Spike! Don't!" Glory snickered as she looked at the girl. Spike stepped forward, and Glory looked into Buffy's eyes.  
  
They were full of something, but what? Worry, love, hatred, or hatred for that love? Her hazel eyes swirled and almost sucked Glory in. Emotion, what ever it was, fuelled by such passion. For a second, for the first time, Glory doubted her own glory. She quickly shook her head to emerge her mind from the young woman's eyes. "Guess so." Glory said shortly. She threw Dawn towards Buffy and grabbed Spike. He didn't resist.  
  
Just then, Willow and Tara burst in, talking and laughing. They both stopped short when they saw the mess that lay before them. "Gotta run." Glory grinned and was gone.  
  
Buffy slid boneless to the floor. 


	5. New healing and old loves

Chapter 5  
  
Author's Notes: Ah! The angst! The romance! Spike has been captured and Buffy actually gives a crap! Review to learn more!  
  
)()()()(  
  
Spike moaned as his mind finally slipped out of the darkness. Blurrily, he looked about and remembered where he was. He jerked upright, and looked up as he heard clattering. Yup, chains. It was always chains. How come he could never be tied up with silly string, or by Buffy? He sighed, and looked more to his surroundings.  
  
He had to grudgingly admit the place was posh, in a girly kind of way. He saw motion in his peripheral vision, and snapped his head around to see who was skulking around.  
  
He couldn't believe his eyes.  
  
)()()()(  
  
"Buffy!" Willow and Dawn cried out in unison, as they raced to the blonde girl's side. Tara stood in the doorway, shocked to the core her shaking, delicate hand covering her mouth. Quickly, she recovered and raced for the phone on the counter.  
  
"Hello 911? We have..." Tara's eyes scanned the room, growing ever wider. "...Four seriously injured people here. We need an ambulance...we're at the Magic Box. Hurry, please!" Tara put the phone back down, and went to Giles's side. "Willow, I need your help. Check out Xander and Anya." Willow left Dawn holding her sister's head in her lap, and ran to Xander.  
  
"Xander's okay, its just his hand. I don't know about Anya though..." Willow called out to Tara, reaching over to feel for Anya's pulse. Dawn just sat in the middle of it all, cradling her sister's head gently.  
  
"C'mon Buffy, please..." Dawn whimpered quietly. All of a sudden, she felt a pull deep in her core. Gasping, she sat bolt upright, and her eyes flowed green. She could see everything. It was like she was inside her sister's system. She saw a few broken ribs floating around in Buffy's chest. Scrapes on her knuckles, bruises on her arms. The worst was a small concussion... and what? What was clouding her sister's mind? Oh well. Fix the damage, fix the broken Dawn hummed to herself. The ribs placed themselves back, and smoothed into white bone. Fixed, fixed, key in the lock...  
  
Dawn and Buffy awoke at the same moment, their gasp in unison. Willow and Tara stood over both of their prone bodies, eyes filled with worry. "We told the paramedics not to bother with you, it was a thing, you were fine, but you are fine..." Willow babbled.  
  
"What happened?" Tara asked, putting a hand on Willow's shoulder. The red head looked to her lover gratefully, and put her hand over hers. They all looked to Dawn for an explaination.  
  
"I don't know..."Dawn whispered.  
  
)()()()(  
  
"Cecily..." The name escaped from Spike's pale lips with a hiss.  
  
"Darling, its D'Hoffryn now." The pale woman laughed, and tossed her hair over her shoulder. "My girl Glory just summoned me up saying she wanted to know how to get inside William the Bloody's head." Glory stepped from the shadows.  
  
"And that we will..." She smiled, a wicked blue glow surrounding her hands before she thrust them into his head.  
  
He screamed. 


	6. Knives and good news

Chapter 6  
  
Authors Notes: Hey guys! I hope your liking the story, and from the reviews I think you are. Again, shout outs to EmmyJ85, Apocalyptia (cool name!), Thursday Next, Harm Marie, starmouse (especially cool to hear from, since I love your stories!), and jojoS1! I will be sure not to make you sulk! Oh, and also trying to make the chapters longer :-P More reviews please!  
  
)()()()(  
  
"What the hell?" Glory said, pulling her hands from Spike's head. He groaned as his head rolled limply from her grasp to rest on his bare chest. In her hands, Glory held a small, shiny piece of metal. She observed it curiously, before throwing it to the side carelessly. "Whatever." She shrugged and turned her attentions back to the vampire.  
  
Cecily laughed pleasantly, but the sound sent Spike's skin crawling with memories. The fact that she was laughing at his pain almost made it worse. He was still in love, not with Cecily herself though. He found out the hard way that Cecily was a cold bitch. But his heart would not give up the idea of Cecily, a warm gentle person who would love him. Drusilla had loved him, but she was not warm and gentle. She was his sword wrapped in silk, shining and sharp.  
  
Buffy was a whole other ball game. She was the sun, his Slayer, the moon. She made his heart jump and beat when it usually lay like a dead weight in his chest. She made him light, alive. Can taking the poofter fucking poet out of London, Spike thought wryly to himself. God, even though he was a demon now, part of shadows and night, he was still drawn to what wasn't good for him, like Buffy and bad poetry. He had noticed something strange lately though. When he saw Buffy, he though he heard he heart speed up, or skip a beat. Maybe it was wishful thinking, but maybe...  
  
"I don't like it when people don't pay attention when I talk." Glory said viciously when she finally noticed that the vampire didn't care what she was saying. She dug her nails into his cheek, and blood trickled down his alabaster skin. He only flinched however when she licked it off, tasting its coppery feel on her tongue. She continued on her spiel. "Anyway," she said conversationally "I think you know something that's pretty important. That's why I took you instead of the teenybopper. Plus, you're a much better addition to my apartment." Glory said, dragging her eyes like lasers across Spike's shirtless body. She and Cecily giggled. Spike simply couldn't get himself to think of her as D'Hoffryn. "So talk. Now." Glory's voice took on a dangerous tone.  
  
"Wait, isn't he insane now?" Cecily asked her boss, confused. Glory sighed impatiently, and casually slammed Cecily into a wall.  
  
"You're incredibly stupid." Glory said as Cecily got to her feet.  
  
"Got that right." Spike muttered under his breath.  
  
Glory continued. "Vampires can't be mind-sucked. They're bodies are dead, and only kept living by the demon that lives inside them. So, no suckage." Cecily couldn't help giggling at that, but was quickly silenced by the look Glory shot her. "Now talk, or I swear I will make you scream in pain so loud your ancestors will wince in pain." Glory punctuated this statement by grabbing a knife from a well polished, and holding it to Spike's neck, putting just enough pressure for a tiny drop of blood to trail down to pool in his hollow of his collarbone.  
  
Spike laughed at the airhead God's weakly made threats, but it soon died out. He sniffed gently at the air around him while Glory and company looked on in confusion. His eyes narrowed as he looked at Glory. Finally impatient, she asked "What? Why all the sniffing?"  
  
"The whelps blood is on that knife. Did you kill him?" Spike asked calmly. Inside, he wasn't. He hated the whelp and knew that the feeling was mutual, but that didn't mean there couldn't be respect. And Xander was close to Buffy and Spike knew if Xander was hurt it would pain Buffy immensely. This immediately put Xander in people to be protected, along with Buffy, Dawn, Red and Glinda, Rupert and the demon girl. They weren't to be hurt.  
  
"Oh this old thing?" Glory looked at the knife she held. An idea came to her. "Yeah, I killed him." She had to try to contain the laughter at the look on the bleached vampires face. "Anyanka too." Glory stifled D'Hoffryn's startled yelp with a look, knowing that the demon and the ex- demon were close. Cecily finally realized, and grinned. "And now my minions are going to finish all of them off while they are at the hospital and weak. Nothing to protect now is there? Now talk!" Glory thrust the knife at Spike's face again, stopping millimeters from his eye.  
  
He didn't blink. He didn't move. Glory leaned in closely, wondering if she had overdone it with the whole your friends are dead and more are about to go thing. He lunged forward suddenly, snarling like a beast.  
  
Glory sighed again. "I didn't want to have to do this..." She said before dragging the knife across Spike's ribs in a deep line. Cecily smiled wickedly as she starting pulling torture instruments from a chest, starting with a whip.  
  
"I did." She whispered, almost lovingly in Spike's ear. All he could do was snarl as his first love set about making him scream.  
  
)()()()(  
  
The Scoobies sat, scattered among the waiting room in the hospital. It smelled like alcohol, the cleaning kind, latex, and a more remote smell of death and fear. They were bandaging up Xander's hand, but they were just keeping him for a little to check it didn't get infected. It was a nasty wound they said, but they didn't ask how he got it. The benefits of living in Sunnydale Buffy sighed to herself. That brought the grand total up to one, one reason why it was good to live in Sunnydale. People had long ago stopped asking questions.  
  
Anya's condition was worse. She still hadn't woken up, and the group couldn't stop thinking that the doctors looked too worried, their robot words of comfort too forced. This was all wrong.  
  
Dawn lay with her head in Buffy's lap. She sighed, knowing later on, when everyone, (and I mean everyone, Anya too Buffy thought) was all right and in the fixed up Magic Box, things would have to be explained. She and Spike's nearly identical dreams with the unnamed threat, and Dawn's new unexplained power.  
  
It scared her this new power. It seemed to be healing, light and good, but roses had thorns. And this thorn was Glory. And now Glory had Spike and she thought he wouldn't tell, even though there was no logical reason for this trust of Spike-he loves you- but Glory could get things from his mind, things he couldn't withhold, no matter how much he wanted too. Buffy could feel her mind winding itself up again, and was almost happy when she saw a doctor approaching them. Gentle, Buffy woke Dawn and they stood with their friends.  
  
"Excuse me are you with..." The doctor paused "Anya Christina Emmanuella Jenkins?" The doctor shook his head at the long name. When the group nodded its consent, he continued. "Okay, well she had a nasty concussion, but she should be okay." The group let out a collective breath, and Dawn ran to Xander's room to let him know the good news. "Anyway, she'll have to take some meds, some painkillers and pills to help the healing process, and she might forget things once in a while, but otherwise she'll still be your... Anya Christina Emmanuella Jenkins." The doctor chuckled as the group laughed with relief and hugged.  
  
"Can we see her?" Giles asked, a rare grin on the Watcher's face.  
  
"I'm afraid not yet, she needs to sleep, but don't worry, you can see her tomorrow." The doctor smiled and left.  
  
Its good we don't have to worry, Buffy thought wryly to herself. We already have enough to worry about.  
  
)()()()(  
  
Authors Note: You like? You hate? Lemme know. Well, don't actually tell me if it sucks, 'cause I swear to god my self-confidence is like a glass vase on a tightrope. So, just don't read it if you don't like it. If you DO like it, then let me know! 


	7. Excuses and doors

Chapter 7  
  
Author's Notes: Reviews ALWAYS appreciated! Seriously, I really have no self-confidence in my writing, and it's hard to remember to update, so let me know if you want me to continue the story! I just realized I made a bit of a boo boo, if you will. I've been calling Cecily D'Hoffryn, when in fact Cecily's demon name is Halfrek. Sorry about that : p  
  
)()()()(  
  
Finally, the group was settled back in the shambles that was the Magic Box. Anya looked about mournfully at the shattered glass and crushed bookcases. "Well," she said brightly "At least that bitch didn't take any money!" She grinned falsely, but her fake smile faltered, and soon fell, as she hung her head and sniffled. Xander pulled her into his lap and smoothed her hair soothingly.  
  
"It's alright Anya. We'll just have to..." Willow looked around "remodel..." She bit her lip and fell silent. The others looked about, and each slowly fell into their own thoughts. Glory was really tougher than anything they had faced before. They had always bounced back before and beaten the Big Bad, but this was a new level of defeat. The silence grew and grew until Buffy couldn't take it anymore.  
  
"Okay." She said, jumping to her feet and startling the others out of their own separate gloom. "What we know. Dawn has some kind of power that is connected to the fact that she is the key, and Spike is in Glory's clutches, so we have to rescue him too..."  
  
"Why?" Xander interrupted, and everyone turned to look at him. "I'm sorry, but personally I don't give a rat's ass what happens to the bleached undead. For all I care, Glory can have him as a pincushion for her minions to make her new clothes. So Buffy, why should we care?" Xander finished his tiny rant, and everyone turned back to look at Buffy as if it was a tennis match. People knew that Buffy and Xander were very close, but sometimes Xander's protective nature was overbearing on the Slayer, and they could have very different viewpoints.  
  
"Xander makes a good statement Buffy." Giles said, worrying the bridge of his nose. "Why should we put ourselves in danger for someone who wouldn't return the favor to us?"  
  
"But he has!" Buffy cried out suddenly. Blushing, she brought her voice down. "He has put his life on the line for us. Well, for Dawn anyway." Buffy sighed and looked at her sister, who seemed so frail and young compared to the rest of the group even though they only had a few years on her, with the exception of Giles and Anya. "You guys weren't there, but Glory had Dawn in her hands. Spike offered a trade, himself for Dawn, and Glory took it." Willow's eyes grew wide as realized what had passed before she and Tara had come into the Magic Box.  
  
"Well, that's all and good but he was doing it to impress you! And –" Buffy cut him off.  
  
"He knows who the Key is. If nothing else, with enough torture he could betray us." Buffy sighed in her mind to have a legitimate excuse for why she wanted Spike to be safe, though her heart whispered truths to her unwilling, conscious thoughts. Finally, Giles and Xander nodded their approval. "And also, we need to talk about Dawn."  
  
Dawn looked about nervously as all eyes went to her. Like she was an experiment now, a curiosity. Hadn't they used to look at her as so many different things before? A pest sometimes, maybe a friend at others. Someone to be protected, someone to be love. But she had become an object now, and she needed to avoid that at all costs, to become human to them again. Because they were her family.  
  
"Didn't Glory say something about a prophecy?" Dawn said suddenly, looking at Buffy hopefully with her big eyes. "She said she was surprised we didn't know about it."  
  
"You're right." Buffy said, biting her lip as she began pacing. She knew well what Dawn was trying to pull, with changing the subject. They were sisters after all, weren't they? Not really, a vicious little voice in the back of Buffy's mind chimed in, but she quickly silenced it. No, she thought confidently, I don't care how long we've been sisters, I just know that we ARE. "And there's also the dreams that me and Spike both have been having.  
  
"Both of you?" Giles asked, pulling off his glasses and cleaning them worriedly, as he so often did nowadays. "That's...bizarre to say the least. You wouldn't mind describing the dream to me, would you Buffy? And tell me what you know of Spikes dreams?" Buffy nodded her consent, and for peace and quiet they went into the training room. Giles pulled a notebook out of his pocket, causing Buffy to raise an eyebrow. "We'll, you-you never know when you'll need a notebook!" Giles explained hurriedly. "So, the dream." He said hurriedly.  
  
"Yes. The dream." Buffy sighed, and began. "Well, it starts while I'm in this nice apartment. I mean, REALLY nice. So I'm wandering around, kinda wondering where I am. Like, I know I'm in the nice apartment and everything but I don't know where that is and yeah..." Buffy trailed off when she realized she was babbling, and took a deep breath. "So I'm wandering the apartment when I walk into this room, full of dead flowers. They're just strewn everywhere. I see a door across from me, on the other side of the room, and I open it. Xander is in the next room." Buffy hesitated, and her eyes began to well up with tears. "He wasn't whole. He was in separate parts around the room, his arms and legs all in separate corners of the room. And his head, he head was just sitting, in the middle, staring at me. Except he couldn't, stare at me, because he had no eyes. And this creepy smile, oh god. And it was like he was asking me why I couldn't stop this from happening to him..." Buffy sniffed, and smiled gratefully when Giles offered her a handkerchief. "And then there was another door." Buffy said, gathering herself up to continue.  
  
)()()()(  
  
Author's note: I really really really like reviews, and I haven't been getting a lot. :'( Hence my hesitation to post. I'm hoping for 15 reviews before I post the 8th chapter. SO REVIEW! 


	8. Nail polish and old rooms

Author's Note: Yay! Reviews! Reviews make me extremely happy! And the more reviews, the longer chapters are, and the quicker they are posted!

Glory was in a rage. Spike hadn't been telling her anything, but she wasn't stupid. She knew that he knew who the key was, but his damn undead brain wouldn't let her suck the information out of him. Even so, a small smile graced her red lips. Sure it would be quicker to suck it out of him, but then she wouldn't be having so much fun. A particularly loud groan of pain interrupted her thoughts.

Glory sighed and rolled her eyes. The noise he made was less amusing. "Gag him." She said offhandedly to one of her minions. The minion quickly ripped a piece of cloth from his own ragged robes, and started to approach the vampire nervously. He jumped straight into the air, and scuttled away when Spike's eyes jumped open and he growled, his face contorting into bony ridges and his eyes glowing amber.

"C'mon sweetness!" Cecily crooned. "It can't hurt that much!" _Oh, but it can it can it can…_ Spike's mind muttered desperately to him, as he slumped in his chains. His weight was completely on his arms, which were covered in blood dripping sluggishly to the floor. His legs hung uselessly at odd angles under him, his feet bare and broken. Spike's hopes jumped as his world began to fade into black, releasing him from the sharp pain. But Cecily had other plans. She grabbed his chin and forced him to look at her, slapping him sharply. She punctuated each blow by saying "Oh no no no! You aren't going to sleep through this!" She hissed maliciously, "Come on honey, it just isn't that easy!"

"Let him be." Glory said commandingly, and Cecily immediately let his head drop, his chin rolling onto him bare chest. Glory snatched the rag from her quivering minion, and shoved it into Spike's mouth. "We'll let him heal a bit, then we'll continue. He's not getting off that easily, not while the key still isn't in my hands." Glory patted Spike's unconscious head as one would pat a dog, and went back to painting her toenails. She wiggled her newly pink toes and giggled girlishly.

Buffy sat curled up on her bed, emotionally exhausted. Telling Giles about her dream had completely drained her, so she rested while the others searched for the prophecy that Glory had mentioned. She pulled Mr. Gordo closer to her chest, and hastily wiped away a tear that leaked out of one mournful hazel eye.

"Buffy?" Dawn said quietly, and Buffy sat bolt upright. When she realized who it was, she relaxed slowly again into the pillows on her bed.

"Hey Dawnie." Buffy smiled weakly, still trying and failing miserably to be the strong older sister. She cursed herself mentally, for not putting up a better front, for not understanding her dream, for not knowing the prophecy, for not looking for Spike… She knew that they were going to search tomorrow, but who knew what could happen between now and then! She should be helping him now, but no, she was being self-pitying Buffy, and that was the side of her she hated the most.

"Are you okay?" Dawn said, walking slowly into the room and sitting on the side of the bed. Buffy's room didn't look like one of a warrior for the Powers That Be. It still looked like a teenager's room, even though she was in college or was supposed to be. Posters from bands she hadn't listened to in years adorned her walls, and the frilly bedcover was as girly as ever. Dawn supposed that Buffy needed this sanctuary, to get away from the things that go bump in the night, the things she was duty-bound to kill. This was where she could be a semi-normal girl.

Buffy looked down and replied "Not so much…" Both she and Dawn were surprised at the answer. Buffy hadn't really ever trusted Dawn with her worries, or hopes even, cautious that such knowledge would be a burden to Dawn. Little did she know that such confidence in her little sister would be a gift. "I'm just worried, a-about you…" Buffy continued hesitantly, and Dawn looked down, guilty. She didn't want to have to be one of the reasons that Buffy was worried. "A-and about Spike." Buffy finally said quietly, and Dawn smiled, triumphant. Her sister was finally admitting that she cared for Spike! Her joy quickly turned to sadness though as she remembered their situation. "I'm just worried that he's not going to be alright, that I'm going to be too late to save him, and to tell him…everything." Buffy trailed off, as sobs began to shake her body. Dawn felt tears well up behind her eyes too, and scooted next to Buffy as they held each other.

"He's going to be okay." Dawn whispered through sniffles. "He always is, and he'll come back for us, like he always does."

"Why?" Buffy asked frantically. "Why will he be okay, why will he come back when I'm always such a bitch to him!" There was momentary silence in the small, teenage room.

"Because he's Spike, and he loves us."


	9. Rhymes and Puzzles

Author's Note: A kinda short chapter, but seriously, prophecy writing is hard! The more reviews, the more chapters! Keep 'em comin' people!

"Hey Giles, c'mere for a second!" Willow called from the corner of the Magic Box. Hearing the excitement in her voice, everyone dropped what they were doing and quickly converged around Willow.

"What is it Willow, what did you find?" Giles said quickly, excitedly cleaning his glasses. With the Magic Box in a mild state of ruin, everyone needed a good "eureka" moment to keep him or her going.

"Well, I just found this book on the front door of the Magic Box. It was all packaged and everything, so I guess either you or Anya must have ordered it recently. It's called…" Willow glanced at the front cover of the ancient leather bound book. "_The Future for Dummies_?"

Everyone was silent. "I'm not even gonna think about that one." Xander said finally, shaking his head.

"Right, right." Giles said rather befuddled "Anyway, neither Anya or I have ordered any books by that title recently. Does it mention anything of a prophecy like Glory spoke of?"

Willow nodded, grinning, green eyes sparkling with excitement. "Yup!" she exclaimed proudly. "It's right here! It's amazing actually, this book is really simply laid out and everything and it's got everything you need! I guess it really is for dummies, even though we aren't exactly dummies, are we-"

"Willow?" Tara laid a soft hand on Willow back calmingly "Take deep breaths sweetie. Just read us the prophecy, okay?" Tara smiled gently at Willow, and she grinned.

"Okay, sorry about that." Willow smiled, and she looked back down the musty old page of the book. "Okay, here's what I found:

In the time of technology, the age of advance 

_Humans will have their final chance_

_The goddess of vanity, pain and war_

_Shall emerge once more to bring battle and gore_

_The Triqueta then will find its core_

_So it can emerge victorious as told in lore_

_Three sets of two, power of three doubled_

_Who shall be named here so you are not troubled_

_First the witches, Rose Red and Rose White_

_One of power, one of balance, to ward off the night_

_Then the guardian and the key, the teacher and student_

_He shall guide he so her power she may vent_

_Finally the opposites, vampire and Slayer_

_He the loving poet once and is again, turned by her_

_The Slayer so pure as to change a heart and soul_

_Of a killer now part of the Triqueta Fold_"

"Well, whoever wrote it kinda sucked at rhyming." Anya said bluntly, tapping her foot.

"Now Anya, lets not mock the writers of ancient prophecies. They did the best they could." Giles said, "May I see this Willow?"

"Sure" Willow said as she handed over the heavy book. "Now we just have to figure out who everyone in the Triqueta fold is."

"Well, some of it seems rather obvious. I'm partial to thinking that you and Tara are the Roses Red and White and we obviously know who the key and the Slayer are. As for the guardian though…"

"Oh c'mon G-man, that's obviously you." Xander said, and everyone looked towards him in surprise. "What? I can't be the one to figure out a very important part of the puzzle?"

"I s-suppose you're right…" Giles said, looking back to the page. "But as for the vampire part, we still find ourselves at a bit of a loss. Maybe Angel?"

"No, but Buffy couldn't change Angel's soul even. When he lost it, he kinda wanted to kill her still, or that's what Willow told me. And plus, wasn't he supposed to be a baddie even when he was human?" Tara said, looking around at everyone nervously. Speaking in the group still made her a little bit nervous, since she didn't want to intrude on the close-knit Scooby gang, but Willow smiled at her reassuringly.

"This is true" Giles said "But really, there aren't any of vampires that we know of who fit that description!"

"Oh are you all stupid!" Anya exclaimed finally, and everyone looked at her in surprise. "It's Spike you dummies!"


End file.
